Senators Shaheen, Murkowski Seek Inspector General Investigation into Destruction of $9.7 Million in U.S.-Funded Family Planning Commodities

WASHINGTON - This week, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) sent a letter to the Acting Inspectors General of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development requesting an investigation into the decision to destroy $9.7 million in U.S.-funded family planning commodities stored for global distribution in Belgium. In the letter, the Senators raise serious concerns about the waste of taxpayer funds and potential misconduct related to plans to destroy rather than deliver the commodities as directed by Congress. Multiple partners and foreign governments offered to assume distribution and ensure the lifesaving supplies reached intended beneficiaries.

"We are writing to ask you to investigate the disposition of $9.7 million in family planning commodities, which were stored for global disbursement at a warehouse in Geel, Belgium," wrote the Senators. "We understand that the Trump Administration has decided to destroy these commodities-purchased with U.S. taxpayer dollars-rather than distribute them to beneficiaries pursuant to directives in appropriations laws, which provide annual funding for family planning programs. We are concerned about the waste of taxpayer funds and possible fraud associated with the disposition of these commodities."

"Family planning programs have sustained bipartisan support because they prevent maternal and infant deaths and reduce unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions by allowing women to control their fertility and safely space births," continued the Senators. "In 2024, U.S. international family planning and reproductive health assistance made it possible for 47.6 million women and couples to receive contraceptive services, preventing 17.1 million unintended pregnancies, 5.2 million unsafe abortions and saving the lives of 34,000 women. Greater access to family planning has the potential to prevent up to 30 percent of the 295,000 maternal deaths that occur annually and to save the lives of 1.4 million children under the age of five."

"We have therefore introduced legislation in the House and the Senate, The Saving Lives and Taxpayer Dollars Act, that would require the Administration to make already-purchased foreign assistance commodities available to intended beneficiaries," concluded the Senators. "Intentional destroying of commodities is a malicious action and a massive waste of U.S. taxpayer funds."

Full text of the letter is available HERE and provided below.

Dear Acting Inspectors General Baker and Nguyen -

We are writing to ask you to investigate the disposition of $9.7 million in family planning commodities, which were stored for global disbursement at a warehouse in Geel, Belgium. We understand that the Trump Administration has decided to destroy these commodities-purchased with U.S. taxpayer dollars-rather than distribute them to beneficiaries pursuant to directives in appropriations laws, which provide annual funding for family planning programs. We are concerned about the waste of taxpayer funds and possible fraud associated with the disposition of these commodities.

We understand that there were multiple offers from organizations and foreign governments to purchase or assume distribution of the commodities, which would have saved millions of dollars in valuable commodities, avoided associated destruction costs and ensured that these lifesaving commodities were made available to beneficiaries, as Congress intended. We are also aware that a majority of the commodities were removed from the warehouse in Geel to a non-climate-controlled warehouse, possibly to make the commodities unusable.

The Administration has publicly suggested that the commodities include abortifacients. As you are aware, U.S. law does not permit funding for abortions. We have first-hand knowledge that the warehoused commodities included only birth control pills, intra-uterine devices (IUDs) and injectable birth control.

Family planning programs have sustained bipartisan support because they prevent maternal and infant deaths and reduce unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions by allowing women to control their fertility and safely space births. In 2024, U.S. international family planning and reproductive health assistance made it possible for 47.6 million women and couples to receive contraceptive services, preventing 17.1 million unintended pregnancies, 5.2 million unsafe abortions and saving the lives of 34,000 women. Greater access to family planning has the potential to prevent up to 30 percent of the 295,000 maternal deaths that occur annually and to save the lives of 1.4 million children under the age of five.

Refusal to carry out family planning programs with funds explicitly appropriated for in the fiscal year (FY) 2024 Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, P.L. 118-47 and subsequent Continuing Resolutions for FY2025 and FY2026 violates the intent of the law. The destruction of $9.7 million in commodities also constitutes a massive waste of U.S. taxpayer funds and demonstrates blindness to the challenges facing the health and welfare of women and children.

We have therefore introduced legislation in the House and the Senate, The Saving Lives and Taxpayer Dollars Act, that would require the Administration to make already-purchased foreign assistance commodities available to intended beneficiaries. Intentional destroying of commodities is a malicious action and a massive waste of U.S. taxpayer funds.

We ask that you investigate:

• What options were and are available to save US. taxpayer funds by selling the commodities to other countries or partners for distribution.

• What options were available to transfer the commodities to other countries or partners for distribution.

• Whether any of the commodities remain viable and what options are available for their distribution to beneficiaries.

• Whether commodities were deliberately removed from the warehouse in Geel to a non-climate-controlled environment to make the commodities unusable.

• The total cost to the United States of the family planning commodities, including their acquisition, storage, transportation, destruction, fines and any other associated fees.

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